“Wait a minute! Dean, how much did you say?”
Blood Fury looked at his reaction, the corner of his mouth curving upward as a flash of undisguised smugness welled up in his eyes. “One million magic crystals. Three-hundred-year development rights for thirteen small worlds, with a fifty percent share of the annual output given to you. Did you hear that clearly? Do you want me to say it again?”
Ethan took a deep breath and raised a hand to wipe his face.
Dragging his fingers from his forehead to his chin, he paused briefly on the bridge of his nose before continuing downward. He rubbed hard, as if trying to scrub away some surreal illusion on his face.
“Dean, this is one million magic crystals. The academy isn't keeping a single one?”
“Not a single one.”
“And you're only keeping fifty percent of the development rights?”
“Fifty percent.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“For real?”
“For real.”
“Are you sure you're not messing with me?”
Blood Fury leaned back against his chair and crossed his arms. The smug expression on his square face shifted to impatience. “Do you want it or not? If you don't, I'll just keep it for the academy's budget.”
“Hehehe, yes, yes, of course I want it.” The shock on Ethan's face instantly dissolved into a grin, switching so fast it seemed as if he had been prepared all along.
Before Ethan's smile could even fade, Blood Fury let out a snort.
He exhaled sharply through his nose, making no effort to hide the “I knew you'd react like this” look on his face.
“Alright, there are two more rewards.”
Ethan's smile faltered slightly.
“The second reward is that the academy's non-classified archives are completely open to you. Alchemy recipes, cultivation notes, course analyses, official histories, and unofficial legends—as long as the knowledge belongs to the academy, you can access it at any time. Of course, you still have to pay, but the approval and restriction steps are bypassed.”
Ethan's eyebrows shot up.
This reward was barely any lighter than the one million magic crystals.
Even if it still cost money.
He had a rough idea of just how much material was piled inside the complete archives of a Three Rings Wizard Academy.
The basic courses, intermediate courses, advanced courses, and various specialized research projects were simply innumerable.
In the past, if he wanted to learn these things, he had to buy them course by course with magic stones.
Although he no longer lacked magic stones now and could afford them.
The various bureaucratic procedures were still quite a hassle.
But now, things were different.
None of that was necessary anymore.
Being able to get his hands on them as long as he paid was incredibly convenient.
Blood Fury watched the expression on Ethan's face, his lips twitching slightly. “How about it? Does this reward suit your taste? I know you're a studious brat. In your years at the academy, you've spent all your time either doing missions or hanging around the Teaching Area.”
Ethan nodded.
“It suits my taste perfectly.”
Whether it was alchemy or cultivation knowledge, both were things he urgently needed.
Putting alchemy aside, just the cultivation knowledge alone was invaluable.
Now that he had the Elemental Affinity passive, he no longer had to limit himself to the wood attribute. Naturally, he needed a vast amount of knowledge regarding the manipulation of other elemental energy particles, as well as spells and cantrips to flesh out his combat style.
As for the money required?
Bypassing those approval steps saved him far too much time.
Money?
He had plenty of it.
“Good.” Blood Fury raised a third finger. “The third reward is a recommendation slot.”
Ethan was taken aback.
“A recommendation slot?”
A hint of amusement flashed in Blood Fury's eyes.
“You've been at the academy for less than ten years, so you aren't clear on many of the rules. Every century, the various forces in District 77—including the wizard academies, wizard schools, and wizard clans—will hold an academic exchange at Jingyuan Academy. There is also a massive trade fair and a tournament used to allocate resources for all the Six Rings to One Ring academies in District 77.”
“Jingyuan Academy?”
“Yes. Jingyuan Academy is the only Seven Rings Wizard Academy in District 77. Being able to attend the exchange there is an acknowledgment in itself. A Three Rings Academy only gets three slots. Typically, it's one for the Headmaster and two for the Second-Tier Deans.”
Ethan's eyebrows twitched.
“Three slots? That's so few.”
“That's an exchange organized by a Seven Rings institution. You say three is few, but centuries ago, there was only one slot, and usually, only the Headmaster went.”
Ethan grimaced, roughly imagining what kind of scene that would be.
“Since it's organized by a Seven Rings institution, I guess that is quite a lot.”
Blood Fury continued.
“The situation is special this time. The Headmaster went to develop Amons World and won't be attending. Jade Blood went with him, so she doesn't count either. The academy must keep at least two Second-Tier Wizards to guard the place, so Dark Stream and I are staying. Originally, the remaining three deans would each get a slot. Now, we're giving one to you.”
Ethan fell silent for a moment. “Hiss, Dean, I'm afraid I'll get beaten up when I get back.”
“Tsk. Since when did you become so cowardly?”
“Hiss, Dean, that's a slot meant for a Second-Tier Wizard. How could I not be afraid after taking it?”
“Heh.” The corner of Blood Fury's mouth curved upward. “If the academy gives it to you, just take it and stop overthinking. The academy has already gotten a massive bargain by securing fifty percent of the world development revenue.”
“Tsk, really? You're not lying to me?” Ethan rubbed his hands together.
Blood Fury's thick brows arched. “Hey.”
“Ahem.” Ethan cleared his throat, the gossipy expression on his face instantly switching to a serious look. “When is the exchange?”
“In three years. Jingyuan Academy has already sent an official letter. We'll be teleported over together when the time comes.”
Ethan nodded.
Three years.
The time wasn't overly generous, but it was enough.
At least enough for him to erect the main framework of his Wizard Tower.
“Alright, my Wizard Tower should be built within these three years.”
“Don't worry, the academy's Logistics Department is very efficient. It will only take a month or two.”
“That's good then.” Ethan nodded. “By the way, when will my magic crystals be given to me?”
Blood Fury brushed his right hand over his left index finger, and a fist-sized blood-red crystal appeared between his fingers.
Dark red patterns flowed across the surface of the crystal, and dense clusters of runes could be faintly seen slowly rotating inside.
He tossed it over casually. “This is the credential. Just take it to the Logistics Department and find the person on duty.”
Ethan slipped the crystal into his storage ring. “Then Dean, I'll be off.”
“Wait a minute!”
Ethan pulled back the foot he had already stepped out with and turned his head to look at Blood Fury. “Is there anything else?”
“Now that you've advanced, do you have any interest in teaching? The academy provides a subsidy.”
Ethan's lips twitched.
He scanned Blood Fury from top to bottom, the meaning in his gaze crystal clear.
You're talking to someone who just got a million magic crystals and the development rights to thirteen small worlds about a subsidy?
“Dean, do I look like someone who lacks magic stones?”
Blood Fury's expression visibly stiffened for an instant.
A rare look of frustration appeared on his face. His thick brows twitched, and his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only squeezed a few words out from between his teeth.
“Get out, get out, get out!”
Ethan chuckled, turning around to push open the office door.
Inside the office, Blood Fury leaned back against his chair, his gaze fixed on the stone door that had just closed.
The casual expression on his face gradually faded, and the color drained from his complexion in an instant.
A trickle of dark red blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
When the blood dripped onto his dark gray martial attire, it instantly congealed into a semi-solid, gel-like substance, its surface still emitting wisps of dark red smoke.
Blood Fury pulled a dark red potion bottle from his ring, uncorked it, tilted his head back, and downed it.
“Tsk.” He wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. “Damn Boulder. In a few hundred years when I advance to Tier 3, I'm definitely going to beat the crap out of you.”
Rate on N.U.
